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Quote by Jean Meslier

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Jean Meslier
Jean Meslier

Jean Meslier was a French philosopher born on June 15, 1664, and died on June 17, 1729. His philosophical thoughts were deeply influenced by the Enlightenment, particularly focusing on moral philosophy and religious criticism. more

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“To discover the true principles of morality, men have no need of theology, of revelation, or of gods. They need but common sense. They have only to look within themselves, to reflect upon their own nature, to consult their obvious interests, to consider the object of society and of each of the members who compose it, and they will easily understand that virtue is an advantage, and that vice is an injury to beings of the species.”

MenNeedsLooksInterestCommonPrinciplesVirtueAtheismObjectsMoralityMembersAdvantageSpeciesVicesObviousTheologyCommon SenseRevelationsInjury
Author:Jean Meslier
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“I kept careful record of the impact of religion on the election in my county. The religious issue permeated every meeting I conducted. It influenced Republicans and Democrats alike. Ministers preached politics publicly and churches distributed the most vicious electioneering materials. Practically no one I met escaped the pressure of this overriding problem and both parties were ultimately forced to make their major calculations with the religious question a foremost consideration.”

ProblemChurchReligiousPartyIssuesRecordsAtheismMaterialsRepublicanMetsMajorsPressureElectionImpactMeetingsDemocratCarefulMinistersConsiderationViciousCalculationsCounty
Author:James A. Michener
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“Whatever may be the immediate gains and losses, the dangers to our safety arising from political suppression are always greater than the dangers to that safety arising from political freedom. Suppression is always foolish. Freedom is always wise. That is the faith, the experimental faith, by which we Americans have undertaken to live.”

MayPoliticalLossGreaterWiseAtheismDangerGainsSafetyFoolishSuppressionPolitical FreedomGains And Losses
Author:Alexander Meiklejohn
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“Meiklejohn's position is that free speech in a democracy is not an absolute flowing from the boundless source of some presumed 'natural right.' It is a practical necessity of 'self-government by universal suffrage,' for if the citizens are not permitted to argue out the issues of government, how can they be what they must be in a democracy - the rulers as well as the ruled?”

IfsWellsSelfGovernmentNaturalDemocracyIssuesAtheismPositionSourceCitizensSpeechUniversalAbsolutesArguingPracticalsRulersFree SpeechBoundlessSuffrageSelf-governmentUniversal Suffrage
Author:Max Lerner
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